Flaws And Feathers [PUBLISHED]

Chapter 5

"Oh?" I raised my brows at him. "Is that so?"

"Will you just stop talking?" he muttered.

"Answer my question, then I will," I replied without hesitation.

Cassiel let out a sigh, before he sent me a dark look.

"Two weeks," he answered.

I was not expecting such a long amount of time, and blinked at him in surprise.

"What have you been doing for the last two weeks?" I had to ask.

Cassiel held up a hand dismissively, "You said no more questions."

"Oh, come on," I pushed his arm away. "It's practically the same question."

"No, it is is not," he sent me a dry look, putting his hand back in his pocket.

Unlike Raphael, Cassiel didn't seem to have a problem with me touching him. It wasn't as if he was pulling away from me at any given chance. It only made me wonder about what Raphael had such difficulty trying to explain.

"Wait," I frowned suddenly in realisation. "So Raphael had been out in the woods for a whole two weeks before we found him? How did he survive that with no food or water?"

Cassiel held a straight face, shrugging a shoulder lightly, "Why are you asking me?"

I sighed heavily, shaking my head at him. It was clear from his lack of shock that he already knew, he just didn't want to tell me.

We spent the next hour walking through every street in the town centre that I could think of. I made sure to visit all the nooks and crannies, where people without homes usually sat, but there was no sign of Nathaniel or Micah.

Cassiel had gotten more and more demoralised, not finding his friends, though he wouldn't admit it to me. I could tell by his depressed shoulders, that he wasn't in a good mood, though he wasn't exactly in high spirits to begin with. I was still quite surprised he was able to walk so much after being hit by a car, even if it wasn't at such a high speed. Still, he didn't even have a limp or anything.

"My guess is that they might have found someone to stay with," I said as we walked back to the meet place with Raphael and Gwen. "Like how we found Raphael, and let him in."

Looking up at him, Cassiel didn't seem convinced, but he didn't argue. He just probably wanted me to stop talking. I sighed softly and lowered my gaze, feeling dejection seeping in. It was how I felt at college, that no matter how I was, people and I just didn't click. Even when I actually tried.

"I am listening," Cassiel murmured as he looked at me, expecting me to continue.

I blinked in surprise, then sent him a small half smile.

"No, that was it," I replied, looking away again. "I was just thinking out loud."

"Mm," he hummed. "I do not think Nathaniel or Micah would accept a strangers help. They are somewhere, just maybe not in this town. Could be in the next town."

What he was saying didn't really make sense to me, but I sensed the urgency in his voice. Just like Raphael, Cassiel wanted to find them as soon as possible.